Insights Chapter 140: Heading Right

Chapter 140: Heading Right

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

The sky had completely darkened, enveloping everything in darkness. Shen Junci sat in a police car, their vehicle setting off later than planned and taking a shortcut, speeding along. According to the plan, they were supposed to rendezvous with the armed police vehicles ahead, but now the power was out, and they had lost contact with headquarters.

After some discussion among the officers, they decided to continue driving in the direction of the last known location of the armed police vehicles. Before the power outage, Shen Junci was browsing information online. Although the internet went down after the outage, the pages he had opened remained.

Online, this sudden event had already become a hot topic, and amidst concerns for the hostages in the car, various accounts related to Lan Baochang had been exposed. Before the accident, he was an ordinary young man with a girlfriend, discussing marriage and entering into the institution of marriage. But after the accident, he was disfigured, disabled, heartbroken, and depleted of his wealth.

The factory classified a major accident as a minor one, so he couldn’t get more compensation for his work injury. He sued the factory, but due to the lack of crucial surveillance footage, both sides stuck to their stories, and no conclusion could be reached.

If the court ruled in his favor, it would confirm the factory’s cover-up, and according to the Production Safety Law, the factory would face penalties from top to bottom. Therefore, even the commissioners who came to investigate were bribed by the factory management.

Until today, the tragedy occurred.

Online, there were those who condemned and cursed Lan Baochang. There were those who believed in him, sympathized with him, and said the factory deserved blame. There were also some who jumped at the opportunity to stir up trouble for Lan Baochang, reveling in the spectacle without concern for the gravity of the situation.

Finally, some individuals involved in the incident spoke up.

Someone replied using an anonymous account.

“At that time, Lan Baochang went to close that valve. If it weren’t for him, I might have died in the accident. It’s even possible that a chemical gas leak could have occurred, causing serious environmental impact on the entire city, or triggering a chain reaction resulting in significant casualties.”

To this reply, the original poster responded, “How could I dare to speak the truth? This accident was reported by the factory, and then they imposed a gag order on the workers. Everyone was silenced. Anyone who mentioned this matter would be fired. We all have families to support. My admiration for him doesn’t mean I disregard my own safety. Only now that the situation has escalated do I dare to speak out.”

At that time, Lan Baochang became a silent hero who saved the city, yet he had to bear the pain alone, unknown to anyone.

The leaders of the city would all face consequences, and many would lose their official positions.

“Some people hope that this matter will be erased from its roots. It would be best if no one knew anything about it, so it’s impossible to apply for credit to him, nor could he receive substantial compensation. He would only receive the minimum work injury insurance compensation, which is very little, just enough to sustain life, and it doesn’t include subsequent rehabilitation and cosmetic surgery costs. Disability benefits would be just a drop in the bucket.”

“If I were tortured like this, I would probably feel aggrieved too.”

“The most despicable are those online trolls who keep fueling the fire. Many people don’t even know the truth. They just talk nonsense, in a sense, Lan Baochang was forced onto this path by them. If there were casualties tonight, some of the blame should fall on these people; they kill without shedding blood!”

Seeing this, Shen Junci sighed, turned off his phone, and looked outside. He looked out the car window, hoping to confirm their location. The world outside the car window had plunged into darkness. The darkness was so thick that it seemed to hide monsters and concealed danger.

Suddenly, Shen Junci noticed something shining in the distance. It turned out that besides their car, there were also some fire trucks and ambulances not far behind, their sirens silenced, leaving only their lights on.

Amidst the darkness of the night, as they looked into the distance, those lights seemed like twinkling stars in the night sky, gradually dispersing the chaotic darkness.

At this moment, the bus was speeding forward. After several intense conflicts that left several injured, the people on the bus had given up resistance. A strong scent of blood permeated the narrow cabin.

Inside the cramped space, a pale white light illuminated everyone’s faces, casting a pallid hue. Some were crying softly, some were secretly leaving final messages on their phones, and some were silently praying. They had been hijacked for twenty minutes now, fear, helplessness, and dread lingering in everyone’s hearts.

The road was remote, and with the power outage, other vehicles on the road gradually disappeared, leaving darkness outside the windows. The bus seemed like a small boat in the dark sea, vulnerable to any waves, uncertain of its destination.

They felt forgotten by the world.

Lan Baochang was also injured, and he still hadn’t let go of the knife in his hand. Leaning against the railing at the front of the bus with his shoulder, Lan Baochang sternly instructed Su Qinlong, “Turn left at the next intersection! Go faster!”

Several factory managers had collapsed in the narrow corridor of the vehicle, including those who had spoken to him before and the deputy factory director Dong Zhiming, who had informed him of the outcome.

After those people were injured, Lan Baochang felt like he had entered a strange state, his anger gradually diminishing. He had experienced too many setbacks, felt too much helplessness, and had his anger stirred up by some people.

Initially driven by intense hatred, as soon as he got on the bus, he stabbed several leaders he despised. The people he wanted to punish had already been punished. His revenge was done; all that remained was to meet his death. This was an impulsive crime. As the vehicle continued on its journey, his anger gradually dissipated, replaced by a sense of confusion. He felt like a student eager to finish an exam, urging the driver impatiently.

He was both fearful and longing, wanting to reach the end of his life.

Su Qinlong’s hand kept trembling, feeling the blood-stained blade constantly gesturing at his neck. Because he had secretly lowered the speed just now, he had been warned by Lan Baochang. His neck had been cut, and blood flowed onto his collar. Now the blade was resting on his artery, and he could feel the coldness pulsating with his heartbeat.

“Where are you taking us?” someone finally shouted inside the cabin.

People realized that this was a road to death.

“Keep going forward, and we’ll reach the city center… What exactly are you planning…” 

“The previous events were all orchestrated by the factory director; we had nothing to do with it.”

“You killed those people; just don’t harm us…”

“It has nothing to do with you?” Lan Baochang retorted, the light on the roof shining on his ugly, contorted face, too painful to look at. “Three months ago, I rushed into the workshop at the risk of my life and closed that valve. You work with chemicals! You all know the consequences if that valve isn’t closed. Hundreds, even thousands of people in this city could have died! I was clearly saving lives at that time!” His voice was hoarse, choked with emotion, “But after I did that, I didn’t expect everyone to thank me, nor did I hope my body would recover, but why… why have I become the one deserving of punishment? You know the truth, but from beginning to end, not a single person was willing to come forward and testify for me, not even those who spoke up for me. All of you are accomplices! Is this the result of being a good person in this world?”

The injustice in his heart felt like a sharp knife stuck in his heart. He survived amidst the pollution of chemical products, but it seemed like he was killed by people’s indifference. These people were once his friends, his colleagues, the people whose lives he had saved. But it was these people who, after he was wronged, didn’t say a word for him, didn’t testify for him. Even when they saw his disfigured face, they would avoid him as if he was a plague.

Was it his fault? Pointing at the deputy factory director lying on the ground, Lan Baochang questioned, “Is there still black and white in this world? For the sake of your own jobs, your own lives, can you ruin others’ lives?”

A woman cried, “But even if we deserve to die, don’t harm the innocent…”

Tears flowed from Lan Baochang’s deformed eyes. He gritted his teeth and said word by word, “If this is the cost of being a good person, then I won’t be a good person anymore! All of you, and others, will be my funeral attendants!”

No one dared to argue with him anymore. For a long time, it felt like there was a lump in his throat, but as these words were spoken, he felt lost.

Suddenly, light appeared in front of the bus, and the attention of everyone, including Lan Baochang, was unconsciously drawn to those lights. Some landscape settings had been done on the street ahead, with solar lights wrapped around the roadsides. While the rest of the city was in darkness, these solar lights were still lit at night.

Amidst the restlessness and the danger he carried in his chest, Lan Baochang had to admit that this road filled with lights was beautiful. The orange lights shimmered one by one, like stars in the sky. As the vehicle drove past, it emitted dazzling and magnificent streaks of light. Then Lan Baochang noticed that ahead was his old high school, where he had many fond memories.

They had an elderly chemistry teacher who had been rehired after retirement as a distinguished teacher. The old man, hunched over, wearing glasses, conducted several interesting experiments in the first class, leaving Lan Baochang fascinated. From that moment on, he fell in love with chemistry and even became the class representative for chemistry.

Further ahead was the school’s basketball court, where he used to play basketball with his classmates. He had a crush on a girl, and he used to have a beautiful singing voice. During the high school music festival, he and his classmates sang a rendition of “Sunny Day.” After the college entrance examination, they folded their books into paper planes and threw them out of the window. He fulfilled his wish and was admitted to the Department of Chemical Engineering.

…

The speeding vehicle passed through the side gate of the school and continued forward. The colorful lights extended, and Lan Baochang recognized that ahead was the Gratitude Tower. This was a landmark building in Penang. He had visited this tower several times with his family and classmates. His grandmother believed in these things and used to bring him here to pray when she was alive. They would stand with clasped hands in front of the tower.

Further ahead was the direction of his old home. Before he entered junior high school, he used to live there. When he was in the fourth grade of elementary school, there was a fire near their home, and he was trapped inside. Choked by the thick smoke, he cried with a runny nose. He was particularly scared at that time, but his mother kept holding him, encouraging him.

He remembered the neighbors and firefighters prying open the windows of their house together and rescuing him and his mother. He was carried out by a firefighter; otherwise, he might have died in that fire. He remembered his father thanking those who came to help, patting his head and saying, “When you grow up, you must also help others and save more people.”

At that time, he nodded in ignorance.

After moving, he hadn’t been back to these familiar streets for a long time, and those memories had long faded. He hadn’t expected to bid farewell to his past in this way at this moment. He watched the people passing by on the roadside. He didn’t know them, yet he felt he might know some of them.

As death approached, fragments of memories flooded him. Lan Baochang shook his head, trying to clear his mind. He couldn’t be merciful because of this. He had been destroyed. The act of courageously saving people a few months ago had cost him dearly, and he had to complete this plan! But at the same time, he hesitated. Did he really want to ruin so many lives? Drag so many people to their deaths with him? He couldn’t kill other people just because he was disappointed in some.

Lan Baochang’s head was about to explode with pain, and he felt himself splitting apart. He felt the wavering of his murderous intent. There were so many paths to take from the chemical factory; why did he choose this one? Weren’t those people supposed to have planned everything without any omissions?

Lan Baochang tried to sort out this matter from the source. Just two days ago, someone had entered his home and taken him away. Those people called themselves planners. They talked to him for a long time, gave him delicious food, stuffed a box of cash into his hands, promised to help take care of his elderly relatives, and gave him conditions he couldn’t refuse.

Their rhetoric was very powerful. One plan made him feel excited. He wanted revenge and couldn’t wait to accomplish this task.

Later…

Lan Baochang remembered that when they talked about the plan, Clear Water was afraid he wouldn’t remember the way, so he drew a topographic map for him.

It was a T-shaped intersection.

“The things on you are extremely powerful weapons.”

“This is the most important step; you must listen carefully.”

Qing Shui said, “From this T-shaped intersection, turn left. It leads to the busiest center of Penang. There’s a gas station here, a high-rise mall, and ahead is the Penang City Bureau. The explosion will affect several kilometers, causing the building to collapse and affecting the City Bureau, causing a chain reaction. Many people will die, and that’s our ultimate goal.”

He paused and continued, “And if you turn right at this intersection, it’s a private garden, with a square and an open space ahead… It closes after six o’clock and gets cleared.”

While the boss was distracted by his phone, the young man called Clear Water patted the money box beside him and said, “Lan Baochang, you need to think clearly about what you really want.”

His gaze fell on the money.

Clear Water smiled at him, “Some intersections are like life; you only have one chance to choose. Once you miss it, it’s too late to turn back. You mustn’t make the wrong choice.”

The boss finished looking at his phone and looked up, asking, “Is everything arranged?”

“Yes, everything’s been discussed,” Clear Water reminded him finally, and he packed up his computer and the papers on his desk. “Remember the directions well, turn right.”

At that moment, he felt puzzled. Did this young man misspeak? According to their plan, the destination should be on the left.

The T-junction appeared ahead.

Su Qinlong trembled and asked him, “Which way should we go?”

Suddenly, Lan Baochang hesitated…

Meanwhile, the night grew darker, and the scenery outside the window flashed by continuously. Gu Yanchen was in the special police car, and they were gradually closing in on the speeding bus. Before losing contact, the leader had given orders, and they had already studied the map. At this point, they definitely needed the most accurate sniper.

The bus was still moving, indicating the difficulty of aiming. Even Gu Yanchen couldn’t guarantee hitting the target with one shot. He and the special police officer beside him devised a plan. “Wait, our car will accelerate from the left to catch up with the bus. No matter what, we must prevent the vehicle from turning left. I will aim for the tires first to stop the bus. If I miss, it’s up to you…”

The driving special police officer acknowledged, “Understood!”

If the bus turned left, it could lead to significant casualties. To prevent the bus from entering the core area of ​​the city, the police car might even collide with it as a last resort, triggering the explosives on board. They were ready to sacrifice everything, including their young lives.

“If the vehicle doesn’t turn left, after passing the intersection, seize every opportunity. I will aim at Lan Baochang from the passenger side. Ye Xizhi, you will provide backup shots from the rear seat.”

This was a double insurance plan. Even if one shot missed, the other could make up for it.

Captain Wang added, “If the sniper succeeds, we will quickly break the windows to help the people inside escape. If the sniper fails, we are prepared to launch a strong attack from the roof.”

Then Captain Wang solemnly stated, “The items on Lan Baochang are extremely dangerous and could explode within half a minute. We must race against time with death. Save as many people as possible, but all of you must prioritize safety. Once it explodes, evacuate immediately!”

Everyone responded in agreement.

With the plan in place, Captain Wang said, “Let’s take a moment to prepare.”

This was a tacit code, usually given to the special police a couple of minutes before a dangerous mission, essentially leaving final words in case of unforeseen circumstances. The people in the car took out their phones and started typing messages.

Gu Yanchen felt it wouldn’t be right if he didn’t adapt, so he thought for a moment and opened the chat box with Shen Junci. He stared at Shen Junci’s profile picture for a while but ultimately didn’t type anything. He pressed his lips with the index and middle fingers of his right hand and then tapped the screen, as if hurriedly leaving a kiss.

The bus had appeared on their car’s side front, and the T-junction was imminent. The driving officer stepped on the gas, preparing for the bend.

Captain Wang spoke up, “We have about 20 seconds to catch up with that bus.”

Everyone prepared to face death.

Gu Yanchen put away his phone, raised his gun, and said solemnly, “Prepare to snipe!”

Lan Baochang stared ahead, his forehead covered in sweat. The more he recalled Clear Water’s words, the clearer the memories in his mind became. Those words seemed to have implanted a strong psychological suggestion in him. Standing on this speeding death bus, Lan Baochang suddenly understood.

What did he really want? Revenge? The money? Escape through death? There was only one chance, this junction. He couldn’t afford to make a mistake. More than hatred, his heart was filled with grievances and injustices. He asked himself inwardly, did he truly want to harm those innocent people? He was a person who could harbor hatred due to anger but also hesitate due to lingering goodness.

Lan Baochang’s hands trembled more than the knife on Su Qinlong’s neck. His mind could hardly think, and his heartbeat grew more intense. Then his throat choked up, and he uttered two words, “Turn right…”

In the end, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. One thought of hell, one thought of heaven. At that moment, he caught sight of something in his peripheral vision: a black car had appeared on the left side of the bus…